Under the willow
by Peeniss-Gaymitch
Summary: This fan-written sequal to The Hunger Games - Mockingjay is alternatively told by Katniss and her daughter, Annie. When Annie uncovers her mother's past what would be the right thing to do as the Capitol are once again on Katniss' back.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N - Hiya!**__**I've attempted to continue on from The Hunger Games. By no means have I taken any ideas from outstanding authors, and anyone who had an imput (ie. ideas, ways of phrasing things, names ect.) will be credited at the end of the chapter. Feel free to leave a review, as that would make me awfully happy. **_

_**May the odds be ever in your favour.  
**_

Chapter 1.

I woke up to a hammering on the front door.

I was home alone, mum had gone into the woods, dad was down in the bakers and Finn was out playing with his friend.

I stomped across the room, unimpressed with my wakening, yanked my robe off of the door and pulled it over my arms, wrapping it around my body.

After unlocking several locks that trailed down the door, my dad had placed there for 'safety', I opened the door to find both a man in his early fifties and a younger man maybe in his early to mid twenties.

"Hello, sweetie. I'm Cesar Flickman and this here is my son, Jackson Flickman." They both held out their hands, so I reached out and shook them, why did the name Cesar Flickman ring a bell? "We're looking for your parents, Katniss and Peeta, are they home?" Cesar continued.

I leant backwards to glance at the clock in the living room. "They aren't, however mum should be back in twenty minutes, dad's in the bakery all day today. Is there anything I could help you with?" I was hoping that they'd realise that I was offering an empty gesture. Unfortunately, they didn't read it very well. Both Cesar and Jackson looked at each other and then glanced at their watches, almost simultaneously.

"We can wait for twenty minutes, can't we?" I opened the door wider, not only inviting Cesar and his son in, but also the bitter early spring air that rushed through, causing goose bumps to form on my arms and legs. "It's been a long time since I spoke to your mother and father," Cesar announced as he welcomed himself into my home, encouraging his son to do so too. I was still wary of who this man was and why I recognised him. I know for certain that I've never seen his son before, so he couldn't be a new resident of District 12.

"I hate to be rude, Mr Flickman but would you mind enlightening me on the matter of who you are?" I tried to sound polite, although I may have come across more sarcastic than anything else.

Cesar chuckled as he patted the couch opposite me, beckoning his son to sit down although Jackson seemed hesitant. "Please, make yourself at home, Jackson." I say to him, smiling hoping he'd try not to hard to think I was impolite, unfortunately I have the same confidence and mannerisms as my mother. Finn got all the friendly, outgoing genes.

"Ah, sweetie-" "My name's Annie," I interrupt. I don't like being called 'sweetie' it's so patronising. "My apologies, Annie. I was the interviewer and host of The Hunger Games for several years. I interviewed your mother and father in fact. Your father was one of the best tributes I've interviewed!" I could tell at this point, we would be reminiscing very soon.

"Dad, I'm sure Peeta or Katniss have told Annie about the interview," Jackson interrupted, trying to avoid the conversation Cesar was willing to have.

"Actually, they haven't. What interview?" I was oddly concerned. Being a 17-year-old girl, my interest in my parents' teen romance often made me a little queasy, but this was one thing they hadn't told me, and mum barely ever tells me about her past. But, one thing was for sure, I was intrigued with was Cesar had to say.

"The interview before The 74th Hunger Games. What a night that was. Your mother's stylist Cinna and the prep team did a fantast job. How often do you see someone wearing a dress that is set a light when she twirled around on stage? Well, you never did see a dress like that, until after the games. After the games those igniting dresses sold like merchandise." Cesar trailed off to a point of what seemed a disgruntled rant about the dresses and the Capitol.

Jackson cleared his throat with intention of bringing his father back into reality and shot an apologetic look at me. I just smiled.

"Oh, yes. The interview. Well, Katniss was the first to be interviewed from District 12, ladies first and all that jazz and although her interview was fantastic, it was Peeta's that sent the audience and myself into complete awe with the both of them. I remember asking Peeta if he had a love interest back in his District, and his reply and the following statements he gave were astounding. Almost show stopping. His first reply was 'not exactly, well there is this one girl I have a crush on', this was an invitation for me to ask more, so following my instincts I did. I told him that, if he was to go out there and win the Games, she would have to marry him and his reply threw everyone watching. This was when he admitted it was your mother, Katniss he had, had a crush on for a long time. He admitted this in front of not only District 12 and the Capitol, but District 1 all the way through to District 12. The whole of Panem had found a place in their hearts for the 'Star-Crossed Lovers from District 12'."

Ah, I remember Uncle Haymitch often greeted mum and dad when he was drunk as 'the star-crossed lovers' when he stumbled through our front door on occasion, when he realised he was too incapable of caring for himself over night.

"Wow. That must have been something." I smiled at both Cesar and Jackson.

"What was something? Wait, Annie, honey, who are you talking to?" mum called as she slammed the door shut. I stood up and head for the hall where mum was carrying her bow; she'd obviously had no luck in the woods today.

"Cesar Flickman and his son are here. They wanted to see you and dad," I noticed my voice started to sound somewhat excited about this, now I'm aware of the first time my father had declared his love for my mother. Okay, now I was feeling a bit queasy.

"WHAT?" my mother is the only person who can successfully shout and whisper at the same time, something I'm yet to master. She looked in the mirror and fixed her hair, and straightened out her jacket as she head for the living room. Both Cesar and Jackson were stood awaiting my mother's presence.

"Well, if it isn't Cesar Flickman!" my mother was a convincing liar. I remember now where I'd hear his name. He presents shows on TV. He's quite often on the news.

"Ah, Katniss! You look well," Cesar picked up my mother's hand and kissed the back of it.

"What can I help you with, Cesar?" my mother asked, genuinely interested this time.

"Ah, well. The Capitol would like to feature your family and maybe interview you and Peeta again, just like old times!" Cesar nudged Jackson on the shoulder, as if what he just said contained a punch line somewhere between all of the nonsense that tumbled from his mouth.

"No. Never in a million years. I want nothing to do with the Capitol. Do you not remember everything I went through to make sure that message was successfully carried through?" the tone in her voice was stern.

I heard a faint meowing coming from the cupboard. I head over to the cupboard under the stairs, and opened the door and out crawled Prim and Rue, our ratty little cats Buttercup left behind when I was a baby. Rue was excessively pregnant and that means more horrid little creatures living in our house. Fantastic.

"Katniss, I understand you're upset with our offer, why don't you and Peeta consider it, then give us a call?" Cesar stood up and began exiting the living room, but crouching down to Prim and stroking her. "Aw, she's gorgeous," Prim rolled over onto her back, allowing Cesar to rub her belly. I couldn't help but laugh at Cesar's remark. Prim is not gorgeous. I can't think of one reason for Prim to be even considered as gorgeous. I don't even get why my mother was so keen for calling her Prim. "What's her name?" Cesar seemed to be enjoying fussing Prim too much. He could keep her if he liked, I wouldn't care.

"Prim," I said. "And the other one's Rue," I picked Rue up. I didn't mind Rue she was a softy, never scratched, or bit anyone. The most non-violent cat I'd ever come across, although she occassionally hissed at me.

"Oh really, that's awfully cute for your mother to want to name one of your cats after her own sister,"

What was he talking about? "Sister?" This was all news to me. Me head started spinning, so I made my way into the kitchen, to ask my mother of this sister of hers. "Who was Prim? Why didn't you tell me you had a sister?" I was shouting at this point.

My mother left the room, hurrying Cesar and Jackson out of the house and once they were in their car, I could hear her call, "I will not be doing that interview, so don't bother calling again!" I could tell by this, someone said something they shouldn't have and everything was going to unravel, maybe not now and maybe not tomorrow. I was used to my mother keeping things from me, but this was on a whole new scale.

Prim would have been my auntie.

I need to know who Prim was.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I couldn't come to terms with what Cesar had said to Annie. What on earth made him think that telling my daughter about Prim was okay, because I'm having a hard time coming up with reasons.

Surprisingly, Annie hasn't mentioned anything since Cesar left and I'm hoping she's brushed it aside. I will tell her. One day. But right now, she doesn't need to know.

The front door flew open and Peeta and Finn walked in.

"Honey, I'm home!" Even after 25 years of being married, he still felt it was necessary for him to say this every time he was home after work. I don't care though, it's Peeta and it's his cheesy, silence-breaking lines that make me love him even more.

Peeta and Finn walked into the kitchen, where I was sat at the table with my head in my hands staring down into the beige colour tea sat below my face.

I raised my head to see Peeta rub Finn's hair and give him a high-five and Finn rushed off into the cat-cupboard to drive Rue and Prim insane. Prim.

Peeta kissed my head and set a small box down on the table in front of me.

"We haven't had that many customers today. So I had a little extra time on my hands," his put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them gently as I opened the lid of the shiny, white, cardboard box. Inside it was a cupcake, swirled high with chocolate frosting and a heart made from frosting also. The heart was a deep red, and written in white frosting were the words 'I love you'.

My Peeta and his perfect ways, I was speechless.

"What d'you think?" Peeta smiled.

"It… it's perfect, Peeta. I love you too," I turned to my right, where he was now knelt and kissed him. His breath was sweet, and not from Peeta being perfect, but I could taste the cupcakes and frosting he'd been eating at work today and it made me smile.

"What?" he pulled his smile. A half-hearted smile that even after 27 years of knowing him still makes me fall a little harder for him each time he does it.

I poked his stomach. "You been eating more cupcakes today?" I stood up and wrapped my arms around his waist, the one place I felt secure was in Peeta's arms.

"Only the ones I may have accidentally on purpose messed up," he chuckled and I poked his stomach again, but then put my arms back around his waist.

I need to tell him was happened today, about Cesar coming here and talking to Annie. Telling Annie about Prim.

"Are you alright, Katniss?" he leaned back and pulled my chin up with his finger so he could look me in the eye. "You're not normally this clingy when I get home from work?" he was right. I try to avoid the fact I need to tell him about Cesar's visit and I go all soppy on Peeta, brilliant idea Katniss, brilliant.

"Um, yeah. I'm fine. I'll talk to you when the kids are in bed," I smiled, trying to hold back the tears forming in my eyes at the thought of Prim: the day of the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, my little duck. My little sister. Gone.

Was volunteering for Prim the right thing to do? Of course it was, I would have hated to see her suffer in the Arena, if she even lasted that long. She wasn't good at hunting, no matter how often I taught her. She was more of my mother than my father. Prim knew how to use words and knew how to care for people. Whereas I knew how to kill animals and destroy several districts, all before I was 18.

"Mummy!" I let go of Peeta and Finn ran into the kitchen and hugged my leg. I rubbed his hair.

"What's up Kiddo?" I smiled.

"Did daddy tell you?" Finn sounded excited about the news he was about to deliver and I knew by the way Peeta hadn't told me, so Finn could burst with excitement.

"Daddy hasn't said anything, sweetie," I sat down and pulled Finn on to my lap.

"When I was finished playing with Sam, I walked past the bakery and daddy told me to come and help him make cakes!" I honestly, have never seen a little boy so excited. "He said I have the pot-en-tial to be a baker, just like him!" he buried his face in his hands for a moment, considering what to say next, and then he burst out with, "he also said I'm the cleverist seven year old he knows!" he jumped of my lap, I kissed his forehead.

"You most certainly are, kiddo!" Finn ran off into the hall on a search for Rue and Prim. "You're a great father, Peeta. Any man should envy you," I stood up and walked towards him. He pulled me close and kissed me. This time I forgot about the sugary scent that lingered in his breath and it was at this point when I realised, the only thing that mattered was Peeta and my children.

We heard a giggle come from the hall. "Eew! Mummy and daddy were kissing!" Finn got a little embarrassed. Looking at each other, both Peeta and I knew we had the same idea.

"Well then!" Peeta said, smiling.

"We're going to have to come and kiss you, too!" Peeta grabbed my hand, which still felt like the first time we touched, every time he held my hand, and we chased Finn up the stairs into his bedroom – where he decided to hide beneath the sheets. We pulled back the sheets and tickled him. Peeta picked him up and put him on the floor and began play fighting with him. He stopped for a brief moment, and in the silence I could hear sniffling coming from Annie's room. I gestured my hands in the direction of her room, signalling that I would go and talk to her, but that Peeta wasn't to go very far.

I knocked on the door and heard a muffled, "who is it?" coming from her room.

"It's me," I cracked the door open and waited for a response, that I never received. So I let myself in.

"Annie, honey. What's up?" She was lying on her bed with her face pressed down into her pillow. I knew exactly what was up; she wanted answers, just like I did when I was fifteen.

I sat on the corner of her bed, smoothing out the sheet beside me.

"Who's Prim?" Annie sat up, and looked at me. She was serious.

Peeta walked in. "How're my two favourite ladies?" It's still beyond me as to why Peeta was so good with words.

"Cesar Flickman visited Annie today, whilst everyone was out." I hoped that saying this wouldn't cause a venomous flashback, he hasn't had one since Gale knocked on our door the other year, Peeta was doing so well, I didn't want to break it.

"Cesar Flickman?" he paused, "the man that did the interviews?" he smiled.

"What interview? Who's Cesar and most of all, who is Prim?" Annie was verging on desperation. It was time I came clean to her.

In order of her questions I answered, "the interviews before the Hunger Games take place, Cesar's the presenter and Prim was my little sister." Peeta stood behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I tried holding back the tears that formed in my eyes.

"It's a long story okay, so you'll have to bare with me?" Annie sat up and listened, eagerly.

"It was actually Prim who was selected in The 74th Hunger Games, not me. I volunteered. I didn't want to watch my little sister be torn apart by the Capitol, the Games and the Gamemakers. It was too much, my little duckling wouldn't survive and I knew the whole of Twelve was counting on my to volunteer, I don't think they'd expect anything less. Your father was the male tribute that year, too. So I guess volunteering wasn't all that bad." I stopped and looked at Peeta who was now sat on the bed next to me, he winked and held my hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand. "So, the interview came around and-"

Annie stopped me and said, "Cesar told me all about the interview, how dad told pretty much the entire world how he loved you, ever since he first laid his eyes on you," she smiled, she was trying and that's all I could ask for.

"She didn't exactly take it well, your mother. She actually pinned me on the floor afterwards," Peeta chuckled as I reached for a cushion and threw it at his head.

"Anyway." I continued, "both Peeta and I started playing by the rules of the games, and then there was an announcement. Two tributes were capable of winning, but they had to be from the same district, so I ran through the forest searching for your father, and actually found him camouflaged into a tree, I do believe?"

"Alright, alright. Not my finest moment, okay?" he interrupted, looking a little embarrassed. I smiled.

"Your father and I hid in a cave after that." I smiled, reminded of the memories. The first time we kissed, the protection I felt with him in the cave. "Once most of the other tributes were dead, we decided to leave for food, where your father, collecting berries, which killed Foxface, a tribute from Five. This left, both your father and I and one remaining tribute, who was killed but a muttation, created by the Capitol. There was then a second announcement, stating that there could only be one victor. So we took the remainder of the berries and were prepared to eat them, just as Foxface did. A life without Peeta, is a life no longer worth living. Then just as we were about to put the berries into our mouths, we were declared victors. We'd not only beaten the other tributes, we'd also beaten the Capitol."

"So, how's Prim involved? I don't understand," Annie seemed on edge, so I tried not to reminisce this time.

"Okay, well the next games were the 75th Hunger Games, the Quarter Quelle. This time, remaining victors would be sent back into the arena. Both your father and I were unaware of the fact all the other districts were in on helping both your father and I survive. Finnick was a friend we met at the Quarter Quelle, which is also where Finn gets his name. There were eight remaining tributes in our ally, and we planned to use the technology from the allies from District Three. We had everything set and when the lightening would go off, it would run down the wires into the water, electrocuting everything in its path. Until that failed, so much went on within the next twenty minutes, I lost track of your father, another tribute, Johanna, was trying to remove the tracker from my arm, then I shot a bow into the force field, trapping us in." I had to stop, to try and recall everything that had happened, but I couldn't bring myself to think of what happened in the arena.

Peeta could read that I was feeling uneasy, "just skip to the training in District 13, Katniss." So I did.

"Once I was released from the Capitol I was sent to District 13, with the rest of the survivors from District 12 as there had been an uprising here, whilst we were gone. We were all trained for combat and I was asked to be their Mockingjay, their symbol of rebellion. So I took it. Once we were trained, we were sent into the Capitol where war was breaking out. There were traps everywhere, each time setting off a new obstacle that almost guaranteed death. That's when we lost Finnick, to one of those traps." I couldn't describe what trap or how he died, because the thought of talking about Prim is overwhelming enough. "After moving through the Capitol, eventually we got to the centre, where everyone was gathered, searching for refuge and failing miserably. I climbed up a post to get a better view, and that's when I saw the parachutes. Like the ones in the games. I thought they were bringing the children toys, food, water or medicine. I could see Prim, I was ecstatic with the fact she would be given something you need until," I choked. I couldn't form my words. Tears overwhelmed my eyes and I couldn't breathe. The flashback was too much, knew this would happen, which was why it was a good idea to have never even have mentioned Prim again.

I looked at Peeta, who met my gaze and turned to Annie and said, "The parachute Prim received, was actually a bomb, which was believed to have been created by Gale and Beetee, back in Thirteen." He smiled at me, and I mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, still unable to form any sound, realising I never got over Prim's death.

Annie wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tightly, "mum, I'm sorry. If I'd have known how hard it was for you, I would never have asked." I knew she was lying; she's too much like me. If there were something she needed to know, she'd ask.

The next four words that left Annie's mouth, blew me. I can tell she'd spent the last ten minutes arguing in her head whether to say them or not.

"I love you, mum."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My head was heavy from the things my mother had told me, earlier in the afternoon. I had no idea that Prim was her sister. I had no idea Prim had any significance to anything other than our ratty looking cat, so I don't understand why I was feeling remorseful of questioning her.

I got out of bed, and by looking at the sky I could tell it was about one 'o'clock in the morning. I crept across the room and reached for my robe. Sliding it on, I opened the door and sneaked out, across the hall and down the stairs.

I walked past the living room and peered around the door to see my mother sat with both Prim and Rue. Then a thought I'd never come across before entered my mind.

_If Prim was my mother's sister, then who was Rue?_

I could've asked her about her, but I decided against it, as I felt I'd already crossed the line with the previous questions I'd asked.

That's when I heard my mother starting to sing.

Deep in the meadow, under the willow

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when they again open, the sun will rise.  
Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay  
And when it's again morning, they'll wash all away._

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place I love you. _

She began to sob; breathtaking tears broke up each word of the song. My once strong, fearless mother, who was a victor of The Hunger Games and a symbol of rebellion for the whole of Panem, was nothing but an emotional wreck. Her hands shook as she stroked Prim and Rue, which she was barely capable of doing.

I entered the room and cleared my throat noisily, to let her know I was here.

"Hey, you should be asleep," the lamp that sat on the table next to her, highlighted her tears causing them to glisten. She sniffled, trying to hide that she was crying.

"Are you okay?" I walked into the room and picked up Rue who hissed at me, and sat her on my lap. She began to purr as I tickled her, behind her ear.

I looked at my mother.

"I'm fine, sweetie. It's just" she paused. "It doesn't matter." She picked Prim up so they were face-to-face and kissed her nose.

I sighed. My mother and I never spoke like this to each other before. We never had the close relationship with each other; she has always been so interested in hunting or dad and Finn. I often forget that when she was my age she was preparing to go into combat, and here I am barely fending for myself. I needed my mother, more than I thought, and now could be a chance to change that.

I bit the inside of my cheek, "it does matter. I'm," I pause to consider what I'm about to say, and weigh up the truth behind it, in comparison to how I actually feel. "I'm worried about you."

She set Prim down on the floor and looked at me in disbelief. I was unaware that I was such a bad daughter.

"Don't worry about me, Annie. I'm okay." She pulled down her sleeve to cover her hand and used it to wipe away the tears falling from her delicate eyes.

I sighed, this time loud enough for her to hear. "Really?" I hung my head at her, "you're okay?" I put Rue down, and began to walk out. "It's just, I didn't realise people cry and sing to their cats when they're okay." I turned to look at my mother, who was now smiling at me. Just what I aimed to do.

"Okay, Annie. Sit down?" My mother picked up Rue who had curled up on the couch next to her and set her down, carefully on the floor, next to Prim. She patted the now empty seat, and gestured for me to come and join her, so I did.

I sat down, pulling my feet up onto the couch, so I could hug my knees.

"Did I ever tell you who Rue was?" my mother knelt down in front of the fireplace, placing logs and setting them alight. Rubbing her hands, feeling the heat, she turned her head to face me, being careful not to catch her single braid in the flames that licked the slides of the fireplace, dancing with the breeze that came down the chimney.

"The only Rue I'm aware of is that ratty thing, down there," I pointed to Rue and she let out a faint hiss, when she turned her head to see me pointing at her.

The fire had lit up the whole room now, so neither my mother or myself was squinting to see one another's facial expressions that were hidden by the dark.

"Rue saved me, at the beginning of the 74th games." She made her way back over to the couch, and grabbed the blanket that was draped over the back of it. Wrapping both of us up in the soft, fluffy sheet she continued to tell me about Rue and her time in the 74th Hunger Games.

"Your father had formed an ally with the Careers," she motioned her fingers, indicating she was quoting the word 'ally'. "Well, your father thought he was in an ally, when really, the careers just used him to get to me." She stopped and looked at me for conformation that I was on the same page.

"What are careers?" I asked, turning around so I was completely facing her.

"They're tributes from Districts one, two and four. Although it was against the rules, they were trained for the games and were often eager to volunteer in the Games and often enough, became a victor." She smiled, so in response, I smiled back.

"Your father and the career tributes spotted me down by the river, and chased me through the forest, where I spent the night in a tree, with them guarding the ground beneath me, blocking my only way down. They set up camp below, and I tied myself to a tree using a rope I'd got in a pack I'd gathered at Cornucopia. Where all the weapons were stored at the beginning of the Games, you had to run in and take what you could, before you joined in with the blood bath." Prim had climbed up on the couch out of pure jealousy, and set on my mother's lap as she began to fuss her.

"Rue was the girl from District eleven, so small, so vulnerable and so young. She reminded me an awful lot of Prim. I woke up to a 'psst' sound coming from a tree opposite, and when I looked over she pointed to a Tracker-Jacker hive. Tracker-Jackers are genetically altered wasps, which are designed to kill anyone or anything that disturbs their nest. Rue then made a sawing gesture, which I then carried out on the nest, and it fell to the ground bellow, onto the Careers and your father. The Tracker-Jackers can cause serious damage if one stings you, you can suffer from serious hallucinations, which I suffered from. The Tracker-Jackers managed to kill Glimmer, a tribute from District one, who managed to get hold of the only bow and arrows, which I took from her ballooned body that was badly damaged from the Tracker-Jacker venom. I started to make a run for it then, and after a few minutes I collapsed and I don't remember what happened for the next three days. Then I woke up, covered in these special types of leaves that absorbed the venom. It was after I woke up, I proposed we formed an alliance." My mother smiled, I'm not sure whether it was at me or at the memory of forming an alliance with Rue.

"Carry on," I hugged my knees, really interested in what my mother was telling me.

"Okay, okay. Right." She paused to think, "the tributes had all of the weapons, food and packs back at Cornucopia. So we made a plan to destroy it. I sent Rue off to set fires in the forest, leading the Careers away from Cornucopia. Rue noticed my Mockingjay pin I was given by Madge, the Mayor of Twelve's daughter. Rue sang a few notes, and repeated it a few times, then eventually the Mockingjays burst out in chorus of the few notes, Rue's voice had sang. This would be her signal to let me know she was alive. I whistled back a few notes, and that was my signal." She stopped and whistled the notes she used in the arena, quietly so she wouldn't wake my father or Finn.

She continued, "as soon as I got back into the forest I repeatedly whistled, allowing the Mockingjays to carry my message. Rue's song wasn't sung back to me, which was when I heard her scream my name. I could hear her scream 'Katniss', which set off my adrenaline, and I head in the direction of her voice, hoping to find her and when I did, she was tangled up in a net. I cut her free, and then Marvel from District one speared her in the stomach. I took the spear out of her stomach and then she asked me to sing to her, knowing she wouldn't survive."

"Was that the song, the one you were just singing to Prim and Rue?" I interrupted.

"It was, yes." She smiled at the thought. "My father, who would be your grandfather taught me the song when we went hunting, it used to sooth Prim when she couldn't sleep and it was the only song I could think of when Rue asked me to sing."

I saw that tears had begun to form in her eyes. I pulled my hand out, from the black, fluffy blanket that was wrapped around the two of us and held my mother's hand.

She grasped it with both of her hands, "I'm sorry I haven't told you a lot of things, Annie. I just, never found the right time or place to tell you, sometimes I even though 'what you don't know won't hurt.' You know?" her tears were falling rapidly know, I shuffled around and lay there, cuddled up to her, comforting her.

I'd never had to comfort someone before, other than Finn, so I was oblivious as to whether or not I was doing the right thing.

"Mum, it's okay." I cocked my head up to look at her. "Just no more secrets between either of us, okay?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. 

I woke up and Annie had left my side, presumably she'd gone back to bed.

I heard a sizzling noise and jolted my head towards the fire that had just died out. Then I thought of last night. Everything I told Annie, I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do.

Prim and Rue had disappeared into the cupboard underneath the stairs. I folded up the blanket that previously kept away the cold night air from the skin of Annie's and mine and put it down on to the plush, velvet sofa where we'd been lying and head upstairs.

I looked out of the window that was at the top of the stairs and looked up into the sky, judging by the position of the newly risen sun, it was about six 'o'clock.

I prised open the door to mine and Peeta's room and crept in trying not to wake him, because in three hours he'd have to head off to the bakery.

I gently pushed the door too, when Peeta sat up. "Where did you go off to last night, I was lonely." He pouted.

I laughed at the face he was pulling and how, even though it looked ridiculous, he still managed to make it work. "I couldn't sleep." I walked across the room, peeled the sheets back and buried myself in them; Peeta lay close to me tracing his fingers down my back. "Then Annie came down, I'm not sure why actually. But we sat up talking for most of the night." I rolled myself over to look at him, "I told her about Rue," he kissed my nose.

"How did it go?" his thumb stroked my cheek, he knew all my weak spots.

"It was okay actually, it wasn't as hard as I had imagined it to have been," I realised at what I just said, I'd been treating Katniss, as I would Finn. I kept telling myself that she's too young and she doesn't need to know all of this. She's fifteen for crying out loud. She finishes school in a matter of weeks and then the world is hers.

_The more she knows, the safer she'll be. _

I sat up, swung my legs around so they dangled off of the bed. "Honey, can you take Finn to the bakery with you? I'm going to try and take Annie into the woods."

I head over to the closet and pulled out my hunting gear.

"Are you sure you want to do that, Katniss?" he chuckled. "Our Annie isn't one for shooting things, you know that." I do know that, but I needed a way to find a connection with my only daughter. I don't want to lose contact with her, like I did with my mom after Prim died.

I stopped to think of a way around this. Then it hit me, like a tonne of bricks.

"She doesn't have to shoot anything. I'll just teach her things my father taught me. Different types of birds, I'll even show her the Mockingjays. It's got to be worth a shot. I don't want to end up losing her, like I lost my mom, Peeta. I won't let that happen."

I stood in front of the mirror, changing into my hunting gear. Peeta walked around the room and stopped behind me. Wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder, he kissed my neck.

"That's not going to happen, Katniss. You're a fantastic mother and an even better wife." He squeezed me.

I turned to face him and he straightened out my jacket for me, I looked at him. Stood there in nothing but his boxer shorts, I laughed.

"What?" he smiled, clueless.

"Just the way your are right now, reminded me of when Finnick was stood in his boxers back in District thirteen. He pulled a really provocative pose and then asked if it was distracting." I sighed at the memory, with no regret of picturing Finnick semi-naked again in my head. It wasn't sexual by any means, it was just Finnick, the way he was.

Peeta put his hands behind his head and thrust his hips. "Like this?" he pouted again.

I poked him in the ribs, "Sort of," I laughed.

"Ah, you're right. Finnick probably had that move copy righted anyway," he winked.

Although that sounded completely crazy, it was probably true.

I stepped back and looked in the mirror. I brushed down my jacket and pants with my hands, smoothing them out.

"What's Annie going to wear? She's got nothing to go into the woods with," Peeta was right. Annie never wanted suitable trousers to be able to go into the woods. But I had an idea.

I left the bedroom and head for the back room, where the walk-in-wardrobe was. There were no clothes hanging in there, just boxes of memories either Peeta or I were too scared to let go of.

At the back of the wardrobe was a box with '74/75' written on the front.

I blew the dust from the top of the box and carried it out.

I put it on the desk in our bedroom and opened it. The musky smell was proof that this box hasn't been touched for years.

Inside the box was the parachute from the Quarter Quelle and inside it still remained the spile, the medicine and the pearl Peeta gave me at the beach, when we went against our plan to separate from our allies.

I held the pearl and bought it up to my lips, I closed my eyes and remembered the words he said and how sincere he was that night, with the locket and how he kept putting himself down, telling me I should win.

I couldn't do that to Peeta, even if I didn't know it then – I love him too much to let him go.

I caught a glimpse of Peeta in the mirror behind me, smiling at me as I kissed the pearl.

"You kept it, after all these years?" I looked at his reflection in the mirror, as he was looking at mine. Our eyes met in our reflection.

"Why wouldn't I?" I looked down, hiding my face that was now a pale pink colour.

I turned around to look at my husband. He walked over and kissed my forehead.

"I'm going to work, I'll take Finn with me. Look after Annie okay?" he chuckled.

"Yes, sir," I saluted him and laughed.

"Oh, and Katniss?" Peeta paused at the door to turn and look at me.

"Yep?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," and after that, he'd disappeared down the stairs and I could hear him help Finn into his coat.

Digging into the bottom of the box, I pulled out my tribute uniform from the 74th games. It's not my favourite idea of a hand-me-down, but it will have to do.

I open the door to Annie's room and lay out the jacket and trousers on the back of the chair, which sat at her desk.

I tried not to wake her, as we'd been up so late last night, but she groaned as she sat up, flinching at the light that was streaming through the window.

"What's that?" she rubbed her eyes.

I didn't want to tell her what it was, because then she might not wear it.

"Just put it on, we're going out." I smiled, hoping not to give too much away, when the phone rang.

Annie stumbled out of bed and stood frowning at the outfit I'd laid out for her, and while she got dressed I ran down the stairs to answer the phone.

"Hello?" I answered, leaning back to look into the living room to catch a glance at the clock.

"Oh Katniss, I just received a call from the Capitol!" I heard a high-pitched voice on the other end of the line, but I wasn't sure whose voice it was.

"I'm sorry, who is this?"

"It's Effie, Katniss. Effie!" she seemed a more excited since last time I saw her. "Cesar called and-"

"I'm not doing it. He came by here the other day and spoke to my daughter about an interview. I want nothing to do with the Capitol." I interrupted sternly.

"Oh, Katniss. Everything is different now you know that! Especially after the government changed! Katniss just trust me. Please?" she sounded as if she was pleading.

I sighed. "Just, let me talk to Peeta first?"

"Yes. Yes, any thing! Ooh, this could be brilliant. The homecoming of the star-crossed lovers, someone should tell Haymitch!"

"Effie, nothing's going to happen until Peeta and I talk this through." I was beginning to become frustrated.

"Is Haymitch still, you know…" she paused to figure out how to phrase her next few words, her voice dropped to a whisper. "About?"

I took a guess at the fact she was asking me if Haymitch was dead or not. "Haymitch is alive, well barely. I'm surprised the alcohol hasn't killed him off yet."

"Oh goodie. Look, Katniss, I must dash; it was wonderful speaking to you my darling. Don't forget to speak to Peeta! I will call you at exactly ten 'o'clock tonight!"

The phone cut off and the only thing I could hear was a monotone beep, signalling the call had ended.

I turned around to see Annie stood behind me, wearing my tribute uniform, and scarily it fit her perfectly. Her hair hung from her head, reaching her waist, so I reached for a rubber band that was on the shelf above the phone and pulled her hair back, out of her face, just like I did for Prim.

"Where are we going?" Annie didn't sound too pleased with whatever I had planned, before I'd even told her.

"I'm taking you to the woods, it'll be good for you."

She sighed. "But it's Sunday. I always go down to The Hob on a Sunday."

"The hob can wait, you've got some learning to do." I smiled and handed her the book of plants Peeta and I had put together after the Victory Tour.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

We walked through the district centre, to reach the other side of Twelve in order to get to the woods. I'd never been this far into the District before; it never occurred to me that life lies outside of the centre too.

My mother stopped. "You hear that?"

I frowned. "Hear what?"

She smiled. "Exactly. If you get to the fence and you can't hear any sort of humming, it means the electricity has been turned off in the fence. It's safe to climb through."

She lifted up a broken piece of the wired fence and ushered me through the gap.

I held back, allowing my mother to take the lead as she began creeping into the heart of the woods.

She shot me a look when I accidentally stood on a twig that snapped quite loudly, but laughed afterwards.

"What?" I smiled, totally confused.

"At least you inherited something of your father, during the 74th games he snapped every twig he stepped on, scaring off the game, don't worry though. You've never done this before, I'll let you off this time." She winked and pointed to a bird's nest in the trees.

She whistled the same four notes as she did last night, and held up her finger telling me to wait for something. Then it happened. All the Mockingjays were singing these four notes and they echoed around the woods, it was truly magical.

We carried on walking towards a water source, because that's where she said most of the game would be hiding.

"Oh, Annie. If anything happens, not that it should, shout my name and not mom. I'll respond faster to it, okay?" she smiled and then continued walking on.

The Mockingjays then began to sing different notes, my mother turned and looked at me, but I shrugged. I couldn't whistle to save my life.

So, in response, my mother whistled her four notes again, and minutes later the other notes would be sang back to us.

The deeper into the woods we got, the more often we heard the other song.

We heard a faint twang of a bow and saw a bird drop dead on the ground, when someone in his early twenties appeared round from a tree to collect his game.

Once the young man had picked up his game, someone began to clap and congratulate him.

My mother handed me a knife that was in her pocket, which was useless because I had no idea how to use it, and she loaded her bow and held it to her face ready to release it in case of danger.

"Whoa, put it down Catnip. It's me." A deep voice sounded from behind the tree, but no face was shown.

My mother didn't remove the bow from the position it was in either, but I put my knife in a suitable sized pocket in the belt of my trousers.

"Look, Katniss. I'm not coming from behind the tree until you put the bow down. You'd probably shoot me in the eye."

The bow remained pressed against her face, but her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"It would a good shot then wouldn't it, Gale?"

Now I know why she won't remove the bow from her face. Gale helped make the bomb that killed Prim. I contemplated running home; I didn't want to be a part of this. I held myself together, just in case something happened to my mother.

"You always had a good shot, Katniss." I wasn't sure if he was tormenting her, or complimenting her, either way I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out.

"Remember out pact, Gale, that if you told me to shoot you, I was supposed to, and I didn't when the Peacekeepers took you down in the Capitol? Well I should have, especially after what happened to Prim." Gale stepped out from behind the tree and began walking towards my mother and I, jumping over the stream probably disrupting several insects' homes in the process.

He had brown hair, which hung unhealthily from the roots on his head, with grey streaks in it. He looked pretty healthy; he was tall, muscular and definitely strong.

"You know that I had no intentions on hurting Prim, Katniss. You know that. Beetee and I made that bomb, yes, but we had no idea that Prim had been vacated to the Capitol with other children from Thirteen's district and ours. We wouldn't have made the bomb in the first place if we had known that!" Gale had raised his voice and was almost pleading.

Mom removed the bow from her face and it hung from her hand down by her side. She must have realised how crazy the grudge she was holding, was, as she didn't have much to say back to Gale.

"And who is this?" he averted the glare my mother gave him and moved closer to me.

"Annie, my daughter."

_Daughter._ I thought, I mean, she'd said it a bunch of times before, but this time she said it with a slight hiss to it, almost as if she was being vicious.

"Nice to meet you, Annie. That over there," he pointed to the young man skinning the bird I saw him shoot, "that is my," he paused, "son, Oliver." He shot a look at my mother; this time the word 'son' lingered in between my ears, but not the same way 'daughter' did.

Gale loaded his bow, and shot it above Oliver's head and missed it by a few centimetres, I thought there were safer ways to get your son's attention but obviously not.

Using his hand, Gale beckoned over Oliver who strapped his game to his belt, leapt over the stream and joined his father. "This is Annie," Gale winked at his son.

"Hi, Annie. I'm Oliver." He smiled, but as he smiled, the corner of his eyes turned up, making him look like his eyes smiled too.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, Oliver."

Oliver reached out his hands and I shook it. His hands were strong and secure, ideal for a hunter I guess. I looked up to see Oliver looking at me, and when I met his gaze, it seemed like it was held for a long time.

I pulled my hand away, unsure of what just happened, and stepped back to stand with my mother. I clutched the book of plants my mother gave me in my arms and held it securely against my chest, the last thing I wanted to do, was drop it.

Gale looked at the book and then looked at my mother. "What's this?" he went to take it, but I stepped back, I'm not sure why I did, just a reflex, probably.

"It's fine Annie, let him see it," she put her hand on my shoulder and grasped it. I think it was supposed to be comforting, but there's probably a circle of bruises rising to my skin at this very moment in time.

"Aw," Gale joked. "Did you make this with bread boy?" he smiled at my mother.

"You haven't matured much have you?" she couldn't help but laugh. "But yes, Peeta and I made it together after the Victors' tour."

Suddenly, my mother pulled up her bow, loaded it and took a shot at a rabbit on the far side of the stream and shot it in the eye. It lay there, not dead but most certainly helpless.

As my mother went to collect it, Oliver spoke up. "Allow me," and turned to walk over to the game, lying on the woodland floor.

"Yeah, I'll go too, considering I've never been hunting before," I looked at my mother.

"Sure, just remember, Annie. Katniss." She smiled and I smiled back, in full respect of what she was getting at.

Oliver and I got to the stream and he made it across in one, big, graceful leap. When he got to the other side, he held out his hand, which I took and pulled myself over the stream, still remaining bone dry.

"Thank you," I smiled, pushing a piece of my fringe out of my face, that had come loose from the ponytail my mother had done for me before we left.

"Not a problem," He smiled and walked up to the game, lying on the floor. "Are you squeamish?" he laughed and I shrugged.

I'd never been in the woods before, let alone handling a dead rabbit. "You might want to close your eyes then," so I did.

I heard the crack of what must have been the rabbit's neck, and I opened my eyes to watch him pull the arrow from the rabbit's eye.

Examining the eye, he said, "your mother's got a brilliant shot, the rabbit's clean, look!" he held it up by it's ears.

I didn't bother looking at it being clean; I was too focused on the fact it hung there, lifeless, swaying with the wind.

I could feel the colour and heat drain from my skin, so I set myself down on a rock.

Olivier came over and placed my head between my knees, "you'll be fine in a minute," he chuckled. "I'm guessing hunting isn't really your thing then?"

I looked up to see him smiling at me, but I just raised an eyebrow, "you think?"

He laughed, "just keep your head down," this time as he encouraged my head forward between my knees, his hand remained on my back.

His hand was warm, and only after a few seconds of him rubbing my back, I felt okay again.

I lifted my head slowly, so I didn't get dizzy from moving too fast, and then sat up again. "Thanks," I smiled, still amazed at how fast I recovered.

Oliver picked up the game and slung it over his shoulder, as we head back towards my mother and Gale, he crossed the stream and once again held his hand out, helping me across.

As I landed on the ground, Oliver winced.

"Oliver, are you okay?" I tried to put my hand on his shoulder, but he was too tall, so I rested my hand on the back of his arm.

"Yeah, probably just pulled a muscle or something, jumping the stream, nothing major." He smiled and really unconvincing smile, but I held back on the questions.

"Well, you took your time," Gale took the rabbit from Oliver's shoulder and gave Oliver a nod, which Oliver returned. "Brilliant shot, Catnip." He handed my mother the game and she shoved it in what she called her 'game bag'.

"Yeah, you did take your time," my mother was agreeing with Gale. I thought they hated each other a minute ago?

"She felt a little queasy when I cracked its neck," Oliver paused, "so I sat her down on a rock until she felt a little better."

I smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Well, Gale. I guess it was nice to see you again." My mother took the plant book that Gale was holding out to her.

"Yeah, you too, Catnip." Gale smiled.

"It was nice meeting you," I called to both Oliver and Gale. They waved and nodded as we left the woods.

Just before we reached the end of the woods my mother whistled and allowed the Mockingjays to sing.

"You should've called me, Annie." My mother stopped, so as if it had been rehearsed, I did too.

"I was fine, I just felt a little faint after Oliver cracked the rabbit's neck, that's all. He sat me down and told me to keep my head between my legs until I felt better." I smiled, reassuringly.

"And do you?" she asked.

"Strangely, even better than I felt when we left home."

My mother lifted the broken fence and let me climb through it and my mother followed.

Once she'd climbed out of the fence, she stopped and listened. This time I could hear it too.

The fence was alive, buzzing with electricity.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

The fence hasn't been buzzing for years, so rather than taking Annie home through the backfields, I took her through the centre of District Twelve where we'd cross the bakery.

When we got to the bakery, Peeta and Finn were just leaving.

"Mommy!" Finn ran out of the bakery and clung to my leg, Peeta followed him.

"Annie, take Finn home. Now." Peeta's voice was panicky; he rolled his eyes in the direction of the centre of Twelve.

Annie looked completely lost, she didn't want to go, I could tell. But she had to, whilst Finn and I go and look at what was going on.

I put the plant book into Annie's hand and Finn held her other hand and I urged them on towards home, advising Annie to avoid the centre.

"What is going on?" I looked at Peeta, whose hands were shaking. "Peeta!"

"I don't know. All I heard was a loud noise, not quite a bang but you could tell it had a bad impact on something, then there was a light that flashed outside,"

I was completely overwhelmed. I hadn't heard or seen anything over the last twenty minutes, anything past the last twenty minutes I was in the woods with Annie.

"Come on!" Peeta grabbed my hand and we ran to the centre.

The closer we got, the more frequent the screams got.

It was like when Prim was killed by the bomb, apart from this time, there were no loss of lives and there was no extensive damage.

I tried piecing things together, while Peeta check up on the citizens that were panicking in Twelve.

I kept thinking of being back in the woods before my twenty-second birthday. There was someone else catching game, but they used a different tactic. They caused a distraction for the animal by using a bright light or a loud sound, and then they would go and shoot it.

_What if this was a distraction?_ I thought.

Keeping ideas in my head isn't going to protect anyone.

"What if this was a distraction? What if something else is going to happen, somewhere else, but they want all eyes on this? Peeta, get everyone inside!"

Peeta started telling people to back to their homes; I needed to talk to someone. And as always, that person would have to be Haymitch.

It was a Sunday afternoon, so Haymitch was probably in the pub.

I ran straight for The Peacock, which now had an 'O' missing from it's name outside on the building.

I got inside and it was almost deserted, apart from where Haymitch was sat.

I stood next to him at the bar, where there was no one, everyone must have ran when they heard the loud noise.

"So I'm not the only one _not _going crazy?" he looked at me, he wasn't sober, but I've seen him worse.

"So you heard and saw it too?" I looked at him.

He nodded.

The light in the put was dull, so I couldn't make out any of his facial expressions.

"Peeta and I think it was a distraction, there's going to be something a lot bigger and a lot worse than this Haymitch. What do I do?"

He poured down the dregs of the liquid, which was probably more like poison than anything else, down his throat, and turned to me.

"The chances of another uprising are extremely slim, Katniss. You with me so far, sweetheart?"

I nodded excessively.

"Right," he continued. "I don't know how true this is, and this is between you and me only. Tell Peeta if you find it absolutely necessary. And heaven forbid you tell Annie, Katniss, that would only put her in more danger."

More danger? I gulped, trying to process what he'd said, wanting it to be a bunch of lies because of the alcohol in his system, but I've seen him more drunk before.

"The Capitol's government were given some kind of grant. Now, baring in mind their leader has a strong medical history, rumours have it that there are some human alterations being done. That's all I know, Katniss. You're clever. Work it out."

I was about to turn around and leave, when he piped up again.

"Maybe a trip to the Capitol isn't such a bad idea? It's only an interview right?" He must have spoken to Effie.

But maybe a trip to the Capitol isn't such a bad idea; after all, I could gather more information by taking a trip to the Capitol.

I left Haymitch, partially drunk at the bar and head for home. I had to call Effie.

When I got home, Finn was sat on Peeta's lap and Annie was sat eagerly in front of the TV with Prim and Rue in her arms.

I took the game into the pantry and hung it up, so I could skin it later.

I head for the living room.

"Peeta, honey. Effie called this morning. She's really eager about this family interview Cesar wants to do." Now, not only was Effie eager, but so was I.

"Katniss," his placed Finn onto the couch, who was fixed to the TV screen so he didn't complain about Peeta moving him.

Peeta grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen. He lowered his voice. "Do you think it's a good idea to go to the Capitol? Out of anyone, you should be the one holding back on the idea of going. After everything they did?" He looked me in the eye, he was right.

"I spoke to Haymitch."

Peeta sighed.

"If I can get us to the Capitol, the kids will be safer than being here. I could probably find out what's going on, if we go to the Capitol." I was beginning to sound desperate.

"Katniss, you're not their Mockingjay anymore. The rebellion's over, you're just over reacting."

"Haymitch said that the government have been given a grant and because the government has been taken over by someone who's got a strong medical history he thinks they're combining the two facts. Peeta, they could be altering the genetics of people, we're talking things that people from the Districts haven't got a clue about. You know what the Capitol are capable of!" My voice had toned down to my whispering-but-shouting-at-the-same-time voice. I'm still oblivious as to how I manage it.

"Katniss…" he began.

"Okay, Peeta just hear me out. We'll be gone three days max, you can let your uncle run the bakery, the kids could even stay with your uncle, while we go."

Both Peeta and I were startled when we heard a cough come from the hall.

"No. I want to go with you."

I sighed.

"Annie, I think it would be best if me and your mother went." Peeta started walking towards her.

"Don't dad. I'm capable of coming to the stinking Capitol with you. Mom?"

I was torn. I completely agreed with Peeta, but I'm not sure where the line is drawn between parenting and anxiety. I took a deep breath.

"No, let her come. She's old enough, right? She'll like the Capitol. Even if we make sure she spends time with the prep teams?" I turned to Peeta who had hung his head in defeat.

"Okay, Annie. But you have to do or go what or where we tell you. Promise?" Peeta rubbed his temples.

Annie nodded eagerly. "Yes. I promise." Her voice was a little excited.

"Right, I'll take Finn and Annie to see Uncle Mike about leaving Finn with him for a couple of days. You call Effie."

"Okay." I looked at him and he kissed my forehead. "Stay safe!" I added as he left the room.

I walked over to the phone that had been installed next to the fridge and read the directory Peeta had created, which stated which number called who.

Effie was speed dial one.

I picked up the phone and held down number one until I could hear the phone ringing.

"Hello! This is Effie Trinket speaking, what can I brighten your day with?" her angelic voice burst down the phone, startling me.

"Effie? It's Katniss."

"Ah, Katniss, you thought about coming to the Capitol then?"

"I have yes, Peeta and I will do it. But we'll be bringing Annie."

"Annie Odair? I though she popped her clogs a few years back, after Finnick died?" Only Effie could say such a thing as still sound as innocent as anything.

"No, no. My daughter, Annie."

"Ooh, you see Katniss. I'd only planned a schedule for you and Peeta."

"Don't worry Effie, we've got other plans, so we'll have to remake the schedule on the train. Have a car pick us up at promptly fifteen hundred hours tomorrow. We'll be waiting. And just to clarify, there will be three of us, Effie."

"Y…yes Katniss. Okay. I'll get to work on the schedule." Her voice sounded uneasy. Then I heard her clear her throat. "At three 'o'clock sharp. Be ready Katniss."

And after that, the line went dead.

I had to pack for the Capitol.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

My mother woke me up, hammering on the door to my room, "Annie! We leave for the Capitol in six hours!"

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, focusing on things that were placed in my room.

The curtains on the wall opposite were shut, but they still allowed light to stream in, causing near blindness for anyone who's rising from a deep night's sleep.

I saw the clothes my mother leant me yesterday were still folded on the back of the chair that sat in front of the dressing table I rarely used and the book of plants was sat on the seat of the chair, I must have forgotten to hand it back.

I had an idea. I could go back into the woods for a while. It was so peaceful.

I opened the door to my closet, where the notepad, a box of watercolours and a paintbrush lay. I took a bag that was hanging up in my closet and put the notepad, watercolours, paintbrush and my mother's plant book into it, got dressed and head out.

I got to the door, when my father appeared in the hall.

"Are you okay, Annie?" he smiled; he was still in his pyjamas.

"Yeah, I'm fine dad. Just going to go out for an hour or two." I turned and began unlocking the door, which was a chore within itself.

"What's in the bag?" he wasn't interrogating me, he was simply interested.

"Remember the watercolours and notepad you got me for Christmas last year?" I smiled. "I was going to do some painting."

He smiled. "Go crazy, kiddo." His hand patted me on the shoulder as I opened the door.

There are six houses in the Victors' Village. But four of them are vacant. There used to only be three, but then mum and dad got married and dad lost his parents and siblings in the uprising, so there was no one to take his house.

Then there's Uncle Haymitch. He lives in the house next to ours and even though it was early Monday morning, he wasn't passed out on the front porch, so maybe he wasn't _that _drunk yesterday.

I made my way down to the woods, cutting through The Hob to say good morning to people, Kat and Gabe were the nicest two down there. Gabe is ten years older then I am, and Kat is probably five or six years older. There were several babies named after my mother a few years before I was born, not long after the rebellion, so that's where I'm guessing Kat's name originates from.

"Morning, Annie!" Kat piped up from her chair, where she was arranging a collection of buttons and pins.

The Hob isn't as popular as it was when I was six or seven. Not many people come down here anymore. The government changed Panem excessively, and rations of food were larger than back in my parents' day.

I nodded and smiled at Kat as I walked through The Hob, I didn't have time for conversations. I wanted to paint.

I got to the broken fence, and stopped to listen. The hum that coursed through the fence was gone.

I lifted up the broken wire to climb through, carefully though as I wasn't sure if I had listened properly, and pulled my bag through, that was now swinging from my bent elbow.

I stood in the middle of the woods, looking for a decent place to sit down. Everywhere was cram-packed with trees, no surprise I guess considering it's the woods.

I carried on walking for at least twenty minutes, when the trees came to a halt. It was just open air, a meadow with a pond swarming with life.

Where I was stood, I could see nothing but green grass, blue sky and a willow tree that stood proudly in the centre of the meadow.

I dropped my arm down, allowing the bag to slide down onto the grass, where I sat down, on the grass about twenty metres away from the willow that I had decided to paint.

I held my thumb up to the willow tree, I was oblivious to the reason behind using your thumb, but I'd seen my father start to paint this way, and it seemed like a good method to get you started.

I set out my watercolours in front of me, opened my notepad, grabbed a pencil and began to draw.

I sketched out the trunk that vanished into the braches, which were covered in tiny green leaves, and grabbed my paintbrush – only to realise I had no water.

I got up and looked for something that might be useful, something watertight.

I turned around looking on the ground around me, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bronze, rusty looking tube. I looked like what carried my mother's arrows.

I picked it up and tapped it against a rock, the rust fell off the tube, sprinkling the rock with a red dust, it seemed okay to me.

I walked over to the pond and dipped the tube in, and after rinsing it out a couple of times, I fill it up and head back over to my notepad.

I rest the tube full of water on a mound of grass, holding it upright –preventing any spillages.

I glanced up at the willow tree, when I heard twigs snap. I jumped up, emptied the water in the tube onto the grass, and held the tube up – forming some kind of weapon. I have no idea how I would use a rusty tube as a weapon, and I doubt you could paint someone to death, so it was my only choice.

I heard the twigs snap again, this time I gathered my paints and notepad, put them in my bag and ran over to the willow tree.

I stood behind the trunk, catching my breath. I hid myself from whoever was in the meadow; I didn't think people were allowed here: all the more reason to be hidden.

"I saw you, Annie." A voice called, it was deep and stern, but nonetheless, familiar.

I peered around the tree trunk and saw Oliver. His dark hair swept across his forehead, whilst the rest sat in small ringlets against his head. Oliver was tall; his shadow gave off how muscular he was.

He smiled.

I crept around the tree trunk, still suffering from the rush of adrenaline that caused me to run to the willow tree.

"Hey," he said, walking towards me.

I was completely lost for words, this never normally happened.

"Hi," I said, not very loudly, it sounded quite pathetic, actually.

I cleared my throat, hoping this would do something.

"You ran off?" he got to the willow tree, walked over the trunk and sat down, leaning his back against it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," I cleared my throat again, trying to shake this feeling off. "I heard twigs snap, and it was the first thing I thought of doing."

He saw the rusty tube that I still had a firm grip on.

"Good job I wasn't a stranger, or a peacekeeper at worst," he chuckled, "you could have done some damage with that quiver!"

I looked at him blankly. The only quiver I was aware of was the nervous shake building up in my hands.

"The tube you have in your hands. You store arrows in it, they're called quivers." He held his hand out.

I gave him the quiver and sat on the ground facing him, settling my bag down by my side, I began picking at the grass in front of me – tearing it from the ground and letting it go, being carried by the breeze that was barely noticeable until you saw the grass in the air. I could feel Oliver's eyes watch my hands move.

"What brings you out here?" I look up at Oliver, whose head snaps around to look at me.

"Oh, you know. The usual. I come out here to clear my head," he laughed uneasily.

"I guess that won't be so easy today, considering I'm here," I smiled, half-heartedly.

"No, no. It's nice having company for once. It gets lonely up here after a while." I caught his gaze, which was held for at least a minute before another word was spoken.

"The weather. It's lovely, isn't it?" Oliver smiled; making it obvious he was changing the subject.

"Not a fan of silence either?" I laughed.

I rest my hands on the grass, letting the soft blades cushion my palms; Oliver placed one of his onto mine. It sent a fuzzy feeling down my arm, which travelled into my stomach, giving me butterflies.

Oliver laughed in return.

"How come I've never seen you about in the District?" I looked at Oliver, who had turned my hand over and was tracing patterns into my palm.

He looked up, caught off guard. He laughed nervously, "I don't know, actually."

District Twelve wasn't that big, but then I was still at school. He looked too old to be in school, now.

The sun was beaming down through the branches of the willow, taking away what shade we had left.

_The time! _I thought. _I'm going to the Capitol at three. I've been here hours._

I looked at the sky, trying to work out the position of the sun, the glancing down that the shadow of the tree to get a rough estimate at the time, it was about one 'o'clock.

I had to go.

I stood up, slung my bag over my shoulder. Oliver stood, trying to protest against my leaving.

"Where are you going?" he grabbed my hand to stopped me from moving anywhere.

"I've got to go, I'm going to…" I paused. Should I be telling him about where I'm going? I've heard bad stories about the Capitol. "I'm going to see a friend of my parents'" I wasn't lying, though because that was true. I'd be seeing their prep teams, and they were friends of my parents'.

He dropped my hand and I turned away and began walking towards the woods.

"Annie, wait." I turned back to look at man, no older than twenty-three, whose head was at least a foot higher than mine. He walked closer, closing the gap between us.

He pulled my head up, by placing his first finger underneath my chin.

"I get to see you soon, yeah?" he smiled. How could I say no?

"Of course," The half smile I pulled, grew into a smile that couldn't be controlled.

His head bent forward and he kissed me. For something that lasted a matter of seconds, it put the butterflies to rest in my stomach, and my shaky hands calmed down.

"I'll see you soon, Oliver." I smiled as I pulled away.

"Yeah, down by the willow." He let go of my hand.

I head home, ready for the Capitol.


End file.
